Editing Abstract factory pattern (section)

== Structure ==

=== UML diagram ===
{{Plain image with caption|File:w3sDesign Abstract Factory Design Pattern UML.jpg|A sample UML class and sequence diagram for the abstract factory design pattern.
<ref>{{cite web|title=The Abstract Factory design pattern - Structure and Collaboration|url=http://w3sdesign.com/?gr=c01&ugr=struct|website=w3sDesign.com|access-date=2017-08-12}}</ref>|700px|align=left}}{{-}}
In the above [[Unified Modeling Language|UML]] [[class diagram]], 
the <code>Client</code> class that requires <code>ProductA</code> and <code>ProductB</code> objects does not instantiate the <code>ProductA1</code> and <code>ProductB1</code> classes directly. Instead, the <code>Client</code> refers to the <code>AbstractFactory</code> interface for creating objects, which makes the <code>Client</code> independent of how the objects are created (which concrete classes are instantiated). The <code>Factory1</code> class implements the <code>AbstractFactory</code> interface by instantiating the <code>ProductA1</code> and <code>ProductB1</code> classes.

The [[Unified Modeling Language|UML]] [[sequence diagram]] shows the runtime interactions. The <code>Client</code> object calls <code>createProductA()</code> on the <code>Factory1</code> object, which creates and returns a <code>ProductA1</code> object. Thereafter, the <code>Client</code> calls <code>createProductB()</code> on <code>Factory1</code>, which creates and returns a <code>ProductB1</code> object.

=== Variants ===
The original structure of the abstract factory pattern, as defined in 1994 in ''[[Design Patterns]]'', is based on abstract classes for the abstract factory and the abstract products to be created. The concrete factories and products are classes that specialize the abstract classes using inheritance.<ref name=":0" />  

A more recent structure of the pattern is based on interfaces that define the abstract factory and the abstract products to be created. This design  uses native support for interfaces or protocols in mainstream programming languages to avoid inheritance. In this case, the concrete factories and products are classes that realize the interface by implementing it.<ref name="abstract factory" />